Six Boone County-connected professionals will spend the next 10 months learning how Northern Kentucky works from the inside out, after the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce named them to the 48th Leadership NKY class on July 26.

Kristin Rice of Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG), Dylan Dietrich of Amazon Air, Jason Lewis of the City of Florence, Kaitlin Barber of Boone County Public Library, Tasha Johnson of Verst Logistics, and Kyle Flower of Amazon are among 52 professionals selected for the program. Amazon Air operates its primary U.S. cargo hub on a 600-acre campus in Hebron.

The six join a class drawn from businesses, government agencies, and nonprofits across Northern Kentucky and Greater Cincinnati, according to the NKY Chamber's announcement.

What the program involves

Leadership NKY, sponsored by Citi, immerses participants in sessions on economic development, government, human services, and community health. The program has graduated more than 1,700 alumni since its founding in 1979.

Kimberley Krugel, Occupational Tax Administrator at Boone County Fiscal Court, chairs the 2027 class. She said participants "begin to see our community with new eyes, discovering how curiosity can lead to deeper understanding and connection."

Ann Marie Whelan, the NKY Chamber's Director of Leadership, said the program places leaders directly in the community to understand the region's strengths and challenges firsthand.

What's next

The 2027 class begins its first session in August. No specific date has been announced. Residents interested in the program can visit NKYChamber.com/LeadershipNKY or contact Whelan at [email protected].